About us
Are you a working professional? Are you thinking of making friends and extend your social circle by going volunteering, learning things, or doing good together? You are looking at the right place.
If you dig deeper, you will find us actually a social org :). For volunteers, community builders of working professionals.
The things we do are very simple, meaningful things in beautiful settings, so connections happen naturally, from shared purpose and experience.
Friendship through civic engagements and shared learnings. That is us - an aspiring volunteer & builder community that runs events.
Send us your new in towns, the young professionals, the transplants, the job seekers, the singles, all those that could use new connections.
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Under the hood, we are actually a volunteer-boned, community-builder-muscled social ecosystem.
Two things set us apart from simply another meetup group: We do more productive social, rather than the consuming type; we do stateful social, rather the often seen stateless ones.
Volunteering is where we come from, it is also a format we do team building. By all the social formats we have observed so far, group volunteering is the most effective and efficient way to build bonding, aka trust, among people.
By group volunteering, we mean those that facilitates social, like in festivals, in state or local parks etc.. Not the punishment type you often see issued by traffic court. By community building, we mean you take action to change your own social situation.
Attention is the currency of meetups. We organize community social as our service, or build up our own community, yet it isn't free. We try to match the attention economy to people's contributions or efforts, so making it more fair.
We believe in people's self determination, we also believe in community builders' group collective power, as well as volunteers' active engagement in changing the social context.
We root our activities in local community events, we cooperate with orgs, businesses and individuals that are doing good. We provide social ladder roles that people can try, stages they shine on, resolving their social needs, also bringing others along.
We participate local community events, as attendees, as volunteers, civic, outdoor, professional or more. We organize local regional social infra walks, so to receive people incoming, so they can launch their social life again.
We build up connections, and create belongings. We believe all good deeds should be rewarded, in relationship, if not in finance. We believe in stateful social, thus relationship compounds, thus community.
We started as festival volunteers wanting social, and expanded to organizing social in community events, our current mission is to be the receiving end of local community social. We believe people & social skills can be picked up, as we did. So no charisma required to participate, help yourself, then others. Warm heart, willingness to try, will do.
If you have read so far, you may seriously consider trying it out with us, and join this fellow community of builders. We are probing, and learning, from our mistakes, which are often, and successes, which did happen at times :). A lot of people make complaints, some take actions. The result of social roulette can be changed, as we are doing. So why shouldn't you join us, to fail on the action side? Ha.
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And our goal? A gateway to local community social, a connection layer to community events, a student activity center for post-college life, a social engine for connections, a town square for working professionals, a community builders' shared space. Yes, including some kind of salt.
Build with us, then socials would follow.
At the end of day,
Visit us at: https://www.townflame.org
Upcoming events
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Goodbye to Summer -- Ferry trip to Angel Island
Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA, USSummer is getting to end, the labor long weekend is coming. Have you made up your plan yet? If not, come with us to take a ferry trip to the Angel Island state park, in the middle of the bay, in this coming Sat. Aug 29th.
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468
https://www.expedia.com/Angel-Island.dx502570The end of August also marks the anniversary for our org., and a half year anniversary for our first event in SF -- the Pillow Fight in Embarcadero square on Valentine Day's evening. We have crossed long distance since then, walked in most of the major events and parades in the city, and volunteered in many: The Chinese New Year, Cherry Blossom, the Carnaval, the Pride, North Beach, Fillmore Jazz, Nihonmachi Japantown, Stern Grove, etc. etc.. Also the local festivals, the state park volunteering, and the local Golden Hour walks ...
It is a time to look back, it is also more a time to look forward. At the turn of the season, we would like to invite our alumni, who have attended our events, and those who are interested in our future activities, to go with us, to take ferry together to visit the beautiful Angel Island at the center of the bay. Bring your friends. Fellow volunteers, community builders? You are especially welcome.
A special invitation to those new in towns. In our recent events, we noticed a high percentage of new comers. So come to meet your fellow freshmen in bay area, and make some joint activity plans.
There are a few options to spend the day on the island, there is around the island walk trail, there is a hike up Mt. Livermore, you can also visit the historic Immigrant jail on the island. We will discuss and decide on the ferry. The ferry ticket $20 for round trip already includes entry fee to the Angel Island state park.
Dogs and drones are not allowed on the island.
There is said to be a cafe on the island. We would go picnic together, so prepare some food and water with you.
The first ferry leaves the Ferry Building at 10:15am, at Terminal B. Be sure to get there before 10am to secure a seat. Credit card to tap to buy ferry ticket.Schedule:
Location: Ferry Building, Gate B, SF
Date: 9:45am Aug 29 Sat.
Return: 3:20pm Ferry from Angel Island.
4:50pm Last returning ferry.
https://www.goldengate.org/ferry/route-schedule/angel-island-sf/Join TownFlame, Make Life Happen.
Liability Waiver: Participation in TownFlame events is voluntary and involves social interaction in public spaces. Activities are designed to be inclusive and respectful. Participants assume all risks and release TownFlame, its organizers, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for injury, illness, or damages, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
By attending, participants acknowledge that photographs, audio, and video recordings may be taken during events, and grant TownFlame the right to use such media for promotional and marketing purposes, in any format or platform, without further consent or compensation.
34 attendees
Celebrate San Jose: Silicon Valley Pride Parade & Festival
Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park, San Jose, CA, USInfo Post for Silicon Valley Pride 2026, to be held in San Jose, with Sat night and Sun festival, and Sun morning parade on Aug 30th.
https://www.svpride.com/The festival:
- Location: Plaza Park, Downtown San Jose (Google Maps)
- Night Festival: Saturday, August 29, 2026 | 6 PM to 11 PM
- Parade: Sunday, August 30, 2026 | 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
(Downtown San Jose – Julian Street & Market Street, to Plaza de César Chávez Park) - Day Festival: Sunday, August 30, 2026 | 12 PM to 6 PM
Different from SF Pride, the festival at San Jose is a paid entry, so you need to buy a ticket to see the shows.
Volunteer Sign Up:
https://turnoutinc.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=116685
It comes with free entry to the festival, T-shirt, lunch etc..It has a solid parade volunteer program, the festival volunteering part, you need to read the description, depending on what kind of shifts you like.
We are checking interest in the event, may organize one if enough people interested.
Join TownFlame, Make Life Happen.
Liability Waiver: Participation in TownFlame events is voluntary and involves social interaction in public spaces. Activities are designed to be inclusive and respectful. Participants assume all risks and release TownFlame, its organizers, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for injury, illness, or damages, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
By attending, participants acknowledge that photographs, audio, and video recordings may be taken during events, and grant TownFlame the right to use such media for promotional and marketing purposes, in any format or platform, without further consent or compensation.
2 attendees
Costal Days: Ocean Volunteering Outing, Lighthouse Field State Beach, Santa Cruz
Steamer Lane Supply, 644-670 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA, USHaven't fixed your labor day long weekend plan yet? Why not follow us to the beautiful Santa Cruz coast, do a volunteering party on state beaches, to jump start your weekend?
By our experience, group volunteering is the fastest and most effective way to make friends. So we will do a group volunteering ice breaking with the State Park first, then group picnic and coastal social afternoon at the landmark Lighthouse Field state beach in Santa Cruz, this Sep 5th Sat.
This volunteering includes mostly weeding and watering. You need to register with state park to attend it:
https://volunteer.calparks.org/opportunity/a3tJw000002qFeXIAU/lighthouse-field-state-beach
Plus, we noticed the state park site reports error at time, following the link and try another time would usually fix it.The lighthouse field park feels more like Fort Mason of SF. As you can see from the image, the Lighthouse Field State Beach is located on the tip of a residential area, roughly midway between the Santa Cruz municipal wharf / Boardwalk (1.2 mile) and the Natural Bridge state reserve (1.7 mile). You will see a lot of surfers on the waves, and people jogging or biking around. And of course the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, overlooking the ocean.
There are a series of beautiful view points on its way to the natural bridges park, making the 1.7 mile a nice stroll by the ocean.
- Mitchell's Cove Beach
- West Cliff Dr tide pools
- Whale Point
- Pyramid Park
So the plan is to group volunteer with the state park first, go group picnic together at the Steamer Lane Supply cafe, then walk along W Cliff Dr., enjoy the ocean waves and breezes, and a smiling last summer afternoon.
So the schedule look like this:
Location: Steamer Lane Supply Cafe, 644-670 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz
9am State Park meet at the park, under a flag, next to the cafe.
10am Considering we would drive from afar, our suggested arrival time. Find the state park flag next to the cafe, then msg the whatsapp event group channel, we will be in the park somewhere, including the bordering streets.9-12pm Weeding and watering
12pm Group picnic at the cafe
1 pm Group hike along the coastParking:
The area is very popular on weekends, so find side streets if the parking lots are full.This event is for group volunteering and social after. Unless you volunteered with us before, we expect people to volunteer together with us first to attend the social afterwards.
Again, you need to register with the state park to attend this event, see the link above.
Prepare sun-screen, water, closed toe shoes.
Recruiting: Yes, we are expanding our community builder's team. If you are interested in help leading our events, talk to us in the volunteering.
Join TownFlame, Make Life Happen.
Liability Waiver: Participation in TownFlame events is voluntary and involves social interaction in public spaces. Activities are designed to be inclusive and respectful. Participants assume all risks and release TownFlame, its organizers, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for injury, illness, or damages, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
By attending, participants acknowledge that photographs, audio, and video recordings may be taken during events, and grant TownFlame the right to use such media for promotional and marketing purposes, in any format or platform, without further consent or compensation.
9 attendees
Volunteering Social, Arts & Wine Festival, Mountain View
Castro Street, Mountain View, CA, USWe just got insider news, that volunteering signup for Mountain View's Arts & Wine festival is open now, to insiders and early birds, at:
https://signup.com/go/YzkgwmT
You have to register with Mountain View Chamber of Commerce using the above link to attend the volunteering.Mountain View Arts & Wine Festival is said to be the largest around town, outside SF, with over 160k attendees over the weekend. We have years of relationship with its organizer -- the Chamber of Commerce, and its volunteer body. We are organizing a volunteer social in it, and we will also organize a Friends Circle event for the "culture participation" crowd to support our volunteers, in a different event post before the festival date. In turn, our volunteers would serve as anchor points for the social goers also. As volunteers, you will see and interact with lots of people.
We will keep our event whatsApp channel open during the whole weekend, so volunteers finishing shifts can enjoy a meal together, and interact with the friends circle crowd. We will mostly organize the Friends Circle social on Sat. afternoon, so you can choose your shifts accordingly.
Of all the shifts open, the wine & beer pouring stations are the most popular ones and filled up fast. The tickets ones would also be very busy. You will have some free time for other shifts. It usually starts getting busy around 1pm, and lasts till 5:30pm or so. If you want the full experience, I would suggest you choose the above mentioned busy stations, you would get some eerie camaraderie with your follow volunteers after getting exhausted together :).
Mountain View is a pretty professionals heavy & progressive town, so if you know job seekers, you can have them come volunteer here also. People may give you referral when they see you busy being of help.
Volunteer Benefit:
You will get a volunteer T-shirt, a wine cup, and volunteer appreciation party invitation, which is usually held in MV Amphitheater. Exclusive free parking in Kaiser's park ground next door to downtown.Date: Sep 12-13 weekend
Group Dinner: Sep 12 7pm Restaurant to be announced.
Wear your volunteer T-shirts, invite your shift friends.Again, you must register with Mountain View Chamber of Commerce to volunteer:
https://signup.com/go/YzkgwmTTownFlame: Connections & Communities
Liability Waiver: Participation in TownFlame events is voluntary and involves social interaction in public spaces. Activities are designed to be inclusive and respectful. Participants assume all risks and release TownFlame, its organizers, volunteers, and affiliates from liability for injury, illness, or damages, except in cases of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
By attending, participants acknowledge that photographs, audio, and video recordings may be taken during events, and grant TownFlame the right to use such media for promotional and marketing purposes, in any format or platform, without further consent or compensation.
26 attendees
Past events
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